Winding device having a tilting table and method

Abstract

A method and apparatus for pulling cables has a subassembly including a cooperatively driven line pulling take-up spool and level winding device. The subassembly is utilized in combination with a capstan with the take-up spool, level winding device and capstan driven jointly by the same drive. The drive is coupled to a drive shaft upon which the take-up spool is mounted. The take-up spool drive shaft in turn is coupled separately to both a level winding device drive shaft and a capstan drive shaft to provide the cooperative drive. The assembly is mounted on a tiltable table which permits pulling from various angles.

I claim as my invention: 
     
       1. A subassembly for pulling cables via a pulling line, comprising: take-up spool means including a spool for winding the pulling line therearound;   means for level winding said pulling line around said spool;   means for driving said take-up spool means;   a driving mechanism for driving said level-winding means cooperatively with said take-up spool means; and   means for simultaneously tilting said take-up spool means, said level winding means, and said driving means, to allow pulling of said cable from various angles relative to a horizontal disposition of said take-up spool means.   
     
     
       2. The subassembly of claim 1 wherein said tilting means include a table having at least one degree of freedom. 
     
     
       3. The subassembly of claim 2 wherein said table is attached to a hydraulic lifting device. 
     
     
       4. The subassembly of claim 3 including said spool mounted through a frictional coupling to a drive shaft and said driving means include a motor coupled to said drive shaft to rotate said drive shaft. 
     
     
       5. The subassembly of claim 4 including said level winding means mounted on a shaft and said spool drive shaft coupled to said level winding means drive shaft to drive said level winding means. 
     
     
       6. The subassembly of claim 5 wherein said spool drive shaft and said level winding means include drive pulleys mounted thereto and a drive belt mounted between said pulleys for driving said level winding means drive shaft. 
     
     
       7. The subassembly of claim 6 wherein said level winding means include level winding screw means and a level winding pulley reversibly drivable thereon through which said cable or pulling line is passed. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus for pulling cables via a pulling line, comprising: capstan means for pulling the pulling line and feeding said pulling line to take-up spool means;   said take-up spool means including a spool for winding the pulling line therearound;   means for level winding said pulling line around said spool;   means for driving said take-up spool means;   means for driving said level-winding means from said take-up spool means; and means for driving said capstan means cooperatively with said take-up spool means; and   means for simultaneously tilting the take-up spool means, the level winding means, the capstan means, and the driving means to allow pulling from various angles relative to the horizontal disposition of the capstan.   
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 8 including said spool mounted on frictional coupling means for coupling said spool to a drive shaft and said take-up spool driving means including a motor coupled to said drive shaft to rotate said drive shaft. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 9 including said level winding means mounted on a drive shaft and said spool drive shaft coupled to said level winding means drive shaft to drive said level winding means. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said spool drive shaft and said level winding means include drive pulleys mounted thereto and a drive belt mounted between said pulleys for driving said level winding means drive shaft. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said level winding means include level winding screw means for driving a level winding pulley and said level winding pulley reversibly drivable thereon through which said cable or pulling line is passed. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 10 including said capstan means mounted on a drive shaft and said spool drive shaft coupled thereto to drive said capstan means with said take-up spool means. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said spool drive shaft and said capstan drive shaft include drive sprockets mounted thereto and a chain link drive mounted between said sprockets for driving said capstan drive shaft. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of claim 14 including each drive shaft mounted onto a cable trailer. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus for pulling cables via a pulling line, comprising: capstan means for pulling the pulling line and feeding said pulling line to take-up spool means;   said take-up spool means including a spool for winding the pulling line therearound;   means for level winding said pulling line around said spool;   means for driving said take-up spool means;   means for driving said level-winding means from said take-up spool means;   means for driving said capstan means cooperatively with said take-up spool means;   said spool being mounted through frictional coupling means for coupling said spool to a drive shaft and said take-up spool driving means including a motor coupled to said drive shaft to rotate said drive shaft;   said level winding means being mounted on a drive shaft and said spool drive shaft being coupled to said level winding means drive shaft to drive said level winding means;   said level winding means include level winding screw means for driving a level winding pulley and said level winding pulley reversibly drivable thereon through which said pulling line is passed;   said capstan means mounted on a drive shaft and said spool drive shaft coupled thereto to drive said capstan means; and   means for simultaneously tilting said take-up spool means, said capstan means, and said level winding means to allow pulling from various angles relative to a horizontal disposition of the capstan.   
     
     
       17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said spool drive shaft and said level winding means include drive pulleys mounted thereto and a drive belt mounted between said pulleys for driving said level winding means drive shaft; and said spool drive shaft and said capstan drive shaft include drive sprockets mounted thereto and a chain link drive mounted between said sprockets for driving said capstan drive shaft.   
     
     
       18. A method of pulling a pulling line attached to a cable by way of a capstan, level winding device and take-up spool respective ones of which are carried on a base surface means, said method comprising: pulling said pulling line attached to said cable first around said capstan;   winding said pulling line from said capstan around the take-up spool via the level winding device;   driving said take-up spool;   driving said level winding device from said take-up spool in a manner so as to level wind the pulling line on the spool;   driving said capstan cooperatively with said take-up spool; and pivoting said base surface means carrying said take-up spool, said capstan and level winding device from a horizontal position to a relative angular position for pulling from various angles relative to the horizontal position.   
     
     
       19. The method of claim 18 wherein said driving said take-up spool comprises: driving a rotatable shaft driven by a motor coupled to said rotatable shaft, and coupling said rotatable shaft to said take-up spool by means of a frictional coupling. 
     
     
       20. The method of claim 19 wherein said driving said capstan cooperatively with said take-up spool comprises: coupling said rotatable shaft to a shaft on which the capstan is mounted by means of drive sprockets, and driving said rotatable shaft. 
     
     
       21. The method of claim 19 wherein said driving said level winding device from said take-up spool comprises; coupling said rotatable shaft to another shaft on which said level winding device is mounted by means of a set of drive pulleys, and driving said rotatable shaft. 
     
     
       22. The method of claim 18 wherein said pivoting of said base surface means comprises: providing a tilting table pivotally mounted on a wheeled trailer, and pivoting said tilting table with respect to said trailer.